(Corning) SW Valley is on the road Friday night for a Class A second round playoff game. The 7-2 Timberwolves will be at undefeated and 4th ranked AHSTW.
SW Valley gets a second shot at after falling 28-0 to the Vikings in the regular season. Coach Anthony Donahoo comments on what they need to do this time around. “Making sure we get back to fundamentals. This is an amazing time to get a rematch on your hands with a very good AHSTW team. We lost our starting quarterback, and credit to AHSTW with what they were able to do offensively, but we definitely feel like we can clean up some tackles in space. Make sure that you do the fundamentals right so you give yourself a chance in the 4th quarter.”
The Timberwolves have been sound on defense with an average of 11.9 points per game allowed. They’ve pitched four shutouts and last week kept held Madrid 24 points below their usual output. This week brings a big challenge though against an AHSTW squad that is among the most potent in Class A. The Vikings are averaging 450 yards and 44.1 points per game. Coach Donahoo indicates it all starts with the Sternberg brothers. “Both of those boys are fantastic athletes. Luke has over 1,600 yards on the ground and Kyle as 1,500 through the air. With Class A football I definitely think if you can make a team one dimensional and stop one of them, and I think the focus needs to be on wrapping up, making good tackles, and forcing third and longs, I think you’re going to give yourself a chance.”
Since losing to AHSTW in Week 3, the Timberwolves have won 5/6 games. “I always have said sometimes when you take a loss it can be one of the best things for your team. We found out really quick what we need to work on. The fundamentals of making sure you are a great team, all those things that you work on through August. We had a good beginning of our season and sometimes you get punched in the mouth and you have to make sure you come back out. We climbed back up on the horse and were able to rattle off some wins. I think the win over Madrid on Friday night coming from behind really showed that we belong. You’re one of the top sixteen teams in the state of Iowa in Class A and our boys believe we can hang right there. A tough, tough Class A District 7. You have Mount Ayr, SW Valley, and AHSTW that have all won.”
Last week’s 21-14 victory over Madrid saw Evan Timmerman run for 206 yards and two scores on 27 carries. Isaac Curren ran 13 times for 76 yards. Bradlee Grantz had a TD carry. Marshall Knapp posted double digit tackles and intercepted a pass. “It was a fantastic game. We knew offensively that we were moving the ball. We just had a 4th and inches that we couldn’t convert and another drive we didn’t convert. We made some changes at halftime with our defensive scheme that limited Madrid. We got a score right before half to make it 14-7. Came off and rattled off two more touchdowns and played really locked down defense. They gave up 14 points in the first half and none in the 2nd half. I told the boys at half they were going to have to score 21 unanswered if they wanted to win the football game. They rose up. Defense and offensive line were just getting enormous pushes on the Madrid squad. To see them come from behind and truly believe that they want to be one of the top 16 teams and hopefully on Friday night we give ourselves a chance to keep playing football.”
A touchdown late in the first half helped spark the comeback win in the first round. “Offensively getting the score right before half was a big deal for our guys. We got the ball right after half too and we knew we could drive the ball. Offensively we knew we had it. Defensively we had to make some adjustments. They were hitting us with a speed option and we were having trouble with it in the first half. We changed a few things and I want to give a hats off to Marshall Knapp. He had just an unbelievable game and he was kind of that reason we were able to step up in the 2nd half. Our edge rushers Robbie Barnes and Devin Greenwalt really came up big.”
SW Valley has established themselves as a quality program year in, year out. They’ve posted 20 victories over the past three seasons, matching their best three-year stretch in program history. “In back-t0-back years being able to win a playoff game after Corning never being able to do it and SW Valley never being able to do it. Being able to take these boys, and a lot of them played on last years squad and to replicate that and give yourself a chance. That’s a testament all to the boys and the work they put in. We took it one game at a time. Playoff start back in August and we understand that and we took it one game at a time. I’m so excited to wake up on Monday morning and know it’s playoff week still and we aren’t done.”
The Timberwolves have the 10th most rushing yards in Class A with 2,254 or an average of 250 per game. Isaac Timmerman leads the team with 942 yards and 14 TD’s. The junior QB is averaging 6.2 yards per carry. Junior Isaac Currin has posted 721 rushing yards. The top tackler on the team is Colin Jacobs with 65.5 stops and 18.5 tackles for loss. Marshall Knapp has 55 tackles on the season. The Timberwolves have forced 23 turnovers with 11 interceptions and 12 fumble recoveries. The winner between SW Valley and AHSTW will play either Mount Ayr or #5 Lynnville Sully next week for a trip to the dome.
SW Valley coach Anthony Donahoo:
